A night designed to celebrate music’s biggest achievements ended up serving plenty of secondhand embarrassment. The 2026 Grammy Awards on February 1 were packed with uneasy exchanges, including moments that had viewers wondering whether Justin Bieber was subtly clashing with host Trevor Noah. Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj became the punchline of a joke despite not even attending.
These are the Grammy moments that made audiences cringe almost instantly.
#1 Fans Didn’t Expect to See Justin Bieber in His Underwear
Justin Bieber pushed minimalism further than many viewers expected, stepping onto the Grammy stage wearing nothing more than a pair of silk boxers.
The “Baby” hitmaker played electric guitar while performing YUKON, marking his first appearance at the ceremony in four years. At one point, he even paused to look at himself in a mirror as his wife, Hailey, watched and cheered from the audience.
Online, reactions poured in immediately.
“Performing in boxers?? What’s happened to this guy,” one person wrote.
“Why would he need to do this? Why couldn’t he perform fully clothed?” another wondered.
Others tried to see the humor in it. “Bro woke up and chose comfort over couture,” a viewer joked.
One fan summed up the chaos by writing that Bieber delivered the song “in nothing but boxers and pure aura,” calling the moment unhinged in the best way.
Not everyone was impressed, though. “Put some clothes on,” one critic demanded, while another bluntly called the whole thing embarrassing.
#2 Trevor Noah Put Nicki Minaj in the Spotlight — Even Though She Wasn’t There
Host Trevor Noah didn’t ignore Nicki Minaj’s absence — he built a joke around it.
Speaking to the crowd, the comedian pointed out that the rapper wasn’t in attendance and teased that she might have had other priorities for the evening.
“Nicki Minaj is not here. She is not here,” he said, before joking that she was still at the White House with Donald Trump discussing important matters.
Noah then launched into an exaggerated impression of the former president, sending the audience into loud laughter as he delivered the punchline.
The moment followed recent headlines about Minaj expressing strong public support for Trump. During an appearance at an event in Washington, D.C., she described herself as the president’s “No. 1 fan,” adding that criticism only made her want to back him more.
Naturally, Noah’s quip sparked instant reactions online, with viewers divided over whether the joke landed or went too far.
#3 Cameras Caught Miley Cyrus’s Reaction to Lady Gaga’s Victory
When Lady Gaga was announced as the winner for Best Pop Vocal Album, much of the arena leapt to its feet. Fellow nominee Sabrina Carpenter joined the standing ovation, as did many others in the crowd.
As presenters Teyana Taylor and Nikki Glaser revealed her name, Gaga appeared overwhelmed, tearing up as she shared a sweet moment with her fiancé, Michael Polansky, who kissed her on the head before she made her way to the stage.
But online, some viewers were focused elsewhere.
Fans quickly pointed out that Miley Cyrus and her partner, Maxx Morando, remained seated during the celebration, with critics claiming the singer didn’t look thrilled.
“Miley Cyrus not standing or clapping when Gaga won,” one observer wrote.
Another added, “Now I need an explanation on why Miley sat for Gaga.”
#4 Cher Gave a Masterclass in How Not to Present an Award
Even legends can stumble under the bright lights.
Cher had just finished delivering an emotional speech tied to her lifetime honor and began to walk offstage before host Trevor Noah called her back, reminding her that she still had Record of the Year to present.
Flushing with embarrassment, Cher returned to center stage and prepared to reveal the winner of one of the evening’s biggest prizes.
“And the Grammy goes to…” she began, pausing as she searched the teleprompter for the name. What she seemed to forget in the moment was that the answer was actually sitting in the envelope in her own hands.
“Oh,” she said as she finally opened it. “They told me it was going to be on the prompter.”
When she read out “Luther Vandross,” the room froze for a split second, given that the legendary singer passed away years ago. The confusion cleared up quickly when Kendrick Lamar and SZA, whose nominated track was titled Luther, rose to accept the award.
Realizing the mix-up, Cher hurried to correct herself, calling out Kendrick Lamar’s name as the audience laughed along.
Online, viewers had a field day.
“The pause, the name mix-up, the absolute chaos — only Cher could turn a Record of the Year announcement into television history,” one person wrote.
Another added, “Cher fumbled that announcement so bad. Icon energy, but wow — that was rough.”
#5 Heidi Klum Arrived Like It Was October 31
Heidi Klum made sure all eyes were on her the moment she stepped onto the carpet — even if walking normally didn’t seem to be part of the plan.
The supermodel was filmed taking tiny, careful steps in a skin-tone leather gown designed by Marina Hoermanseder. According to Klum, the piece was molded from her own body, making comfort a secondary priority.
“I’ll be the one clapping and standing the entire time,” she joked ahead of the ceremony, hinting that sitting down might not be easy in the sculpted look.
Online, reactions ranged from amused to bewildered.
“Do they have mirrors at home???” one critic asked.
Others leaned into Klum’s reputation for theatrical fashion, noting that the longtime Halloween enthusiast appeared to be treating the red carpet like an extension of the spooky season. “Halloween Heidi always — even at the Grammys,” one person wrote.
Another summed it up more bluntly: “Heidi comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
Some viewers couldn’t resist drawing comparisons to Bianca Censori, whose headline-making sheer looks have sparked plenty of debate in recent years.
#6 Trevor Noah Pulled Bad Bunny Into an Unplanned Performance
Bad Bunny likely thought he was done for the night — but Trevor Noah had other ideas.
After applauding the star’s fiery acceptance speech, the host turned his attention back to him and jokingly pushed for an encore right from the audience, despite the singer supposedly being restricted from performing ahead of his upcoming Super Bowl halftime appearance.
Noah suddenly started singing the lyrics to Bad Bunny’s hit DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, catching the artist — and the crowd — off guard.
To everyone’s surprise, Bad Bunny laughed and went along with it, delivering a few lines as Noah motioned for a live band to jump in and back them up.
At one point, the host even joked about the potential fallout: if anyone got in trouble for the spontaneous duet, it definitely wasn’t going to be him.
#7 Justin Bieber’s Painfully Forced Smile During Trevor Noah’s Table Banter
What was meant to be lighthearted comedy between Trevor Noah and Justin Bieber ended up making plenty of viewers squirm.
During the ceremony, Noah approached Bieber and his wife, Hailey, congratulating them on becoming parents to their son, Jack Blues. He then pivoted into a joke, praising the singer for supposedly convincing Apple to move the dictation button on the iPhone keyboard.
“My personal favorite thing Justin Bieber has done over the past year is that he told Apple to move the dictation button. Hero, Justin,” the host teased, before adding that he hoped Bieber could next persuade the company to improve its search function.
While the crowd laughed, cameras caught Bieber holding what many online described as a tight, wince-like smile — one that didn’t exactly scream amusement.
Social media reacted instantly.
“Do Trevor Noah and Justin Bieber have some sort of beef? That was painful to watch,” one viewer wrote.
Another claimed the singer looked like he wanted to disappear from the interaction altogether, while someone else joked that Bieber clearly wasn’t thrilled about being part of the bit.
Whether it was playful awkwardness or something more, the moment quickly became a talking point among fans.
#8 Zach Top Jumped In to Help Sydney Sweeney — and It Got Weird
Zach Top ended up creating one of the more unexpected sound bites of the night — all thanks to a question about sightseeing.
During a red-carpet chat, the country star said he’d been hoping to get a closer look at the famous Hollywood sign and even joked about wanting to sit on it for a photo. The interviewer quickly warned him that kind of move could land someone in serious trouble, bringing up how Sydney Sweeney recently made headlines after a stunt involving underwear near the landmark.
Top didn’t seem bothered by the warning.
“Well, I don’t know what’s wrong with that,” he replied with a grin. “I’m gonna go hang some of my underwear on there. I’m sure there’s not as many people interested in mine as Sydney Sweeney’s.”
The playful remark drew laughs online, with many viewers appreciating that the singer was willing to poke fun at himself while jumping into the viral moment.
#9 Jamie Foxx Had an Awkward Run-In With Chappell Roan
If red-carpet timing had a face, many viewers thought it might be this exchange between Jamie Foxx and Chappell Roan.
Roan arrived wearing one of her boldest looks yet — a dramatic, sheer burgundy Mugler gown that immediately drew attention from photographers and fans alike. As she posed in the head-turning outfit, Foxx approached with his daughters, Corinne and Anelise, eager to introduce them to the “Good Luck, Babe!” singer.
The actor explained that his kids were big admirers, giving them a quick chance to say hello while Roan balanced the demands of greeting them and maintaining her precarious pose.
Online, reactions poured in within minutes.
“Did he really introduce his daughters right in the middle of that moment?” one viewer wondered.
Another joked about the unfortunate timing, imagining how unexpected the interaction must have felt for everyone involved.
Others focused on Roan, praising her for handling the surprise gracefully despite the interruption.
Whether sweet or slightly awkward, the brief encounter quickly became one of the red carpet’s most talked-about clips.
#10 Something About Darren Criss’s Moment Didn’t Sit Right
Darren Criss had a brief but memorable stumble while presenting Best Dance/Electronic Album.
As he took the stage, the actor-singer appeared to hesitate over how to pronounce Eusexua, the title associated with FKA twigs, who went on to secure a major milestone with the win.
The pause didn’t go unnoticed by viewers at home.
“Don’t they practice before they go on stage?” one person wrote shortly after the moment aired.
Another joked that Criss looked like he was desperately trying not to say the wrong thing, while others were more blunt, admitting the flub instantly gave them “the ick.”
It was a quick slip, but in an evening packed with viral moments, it didn’t take long for the clip to start circulating online.
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